Large format stacking tray for an image production device

ABSTRACT

A large format stacking tray in an image production device is disclosed. The large format stacking tray may include a tray body of a first length that may be attachable to a stacker device in a finishing module of the image production device, and a tray top surface located on top of the tray body on which a media stack containing one or more media sheets rests upon after being output by the image production device. The tray top surface has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The tray top surface may be sloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permits media sheets that are longer than the first length to be output and stacked onto the stacker device.

BACKGROUND

Disclosed herein is a large format stacking tray for an image productiondevice.

In conventional image production devices, finishing module designsallows for media sheets of a particular maximum length. For example,some finishing modules only allow media sheets that are 20.5 inch longto be stacked on a removable device. However, if larger format media isdesired to be run in the image production device, such as media 22.5inch media for example, only two destinations are allowed, specificallya top tray and an accessory side tray. Both of these destination traysare of limited capacity of only approximately 3 inches stack height andas such, cannot sustain large quantity print jobs.

SUMMARY

A large format stacking tray for an image production device isdisclosed. The a large format stacking tray may include a tray body of afirst length that may be attachable to a stacker device in a finishingmodule of the image production device, and a tray top surface located ontop of the tray body on which a media stack containing one or more mediasheets rests upon after being output by the image production device. Thetray top surface has a first end and a second end opposite the firstend. The tray top surface may be sloped between the first end and thesecond end in a manner that permits media sheets that are longer thanthe first length to be output and stacked onto the stacker device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of an image production device inaccordance with one possible embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram of a large format stacking tray assemblyin accordance with one possible embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of the large format stacking tray locatedinside the image production device in accordance with one possibleembodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is exemplary diagram of the large format stacking tray holding amedia stack in accordance with one possible embodiment of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a large formatstacking tray for an image production device.

The disclosed embodiments may include a large format stacking tray foran image production device. The large format stacking tray may include atray body of a first length that may be attachable to a stacker devicein a finishing module of the image production device, and a tray topsurface located on top of the tray body on which a media stackcontaining one or more media sheets rests upon after being output by theimage production device. The tray top surface has a first end and asecond end opposite the first end. The tray top surface may be slopedbetween the first end and the second end in a manner that permits mediasheets that are longer than the first length to be output and stackedonto the stacker device.

The disclosed embodiments may further include an image production devicethat may include a stacker device located in a finishing module of theimage production device that receives media sheets that form a mediastack, and a large format stacking tray that is attachable to thestacker device. The large format stacking tray may include a tray bodyof a first length, and a tray top surface located on top of the traybody on which a media stack containing one or more media sheets restsupon after being output by the image production device, the tray topsurface having a first end and a second end opposite the first end,wherein the tray top surface is sloped between the first end and thesecond end in a manner that permits media sheets that are longer thanthe first length to be output and stacked onto the stacker device.

The disclosed embodiments may further include a finishing module of animage production device that may include a stacker device located in thefinishing module of the image production device that receives mediasheets that form a media stack, and a large format stacking tray. Thelarge format stacking tray may include a tray body of a first length,and a tray top surface located on top of the tray body on which a mediastack containing one or more media sheets rests upon after being outputby the image production device, the tray top surface having a first endand a second end opposite the first end, wherein the tray top surface issloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permitsmedia sheets that are longer than the first length to be output andstacked onto the stacker device.

The disclosed embodiments may concern large format stacking tray for animage production device. The large format stacking tray may incorporatea sloped surface to allow media sheets to stack after being output bythe image production device. For example, this tray may allow largermedia (such as 22.5 inch paper) to fit in a smaller space (such as aspace for 20.5 inch paper) for large capacity stacking. Thus, the largeformat stacking tray may allow a third location for large format outputon certain image production devices.

The large format stacking tray may comprise a raised surface to allowfor clearance of mechanicals in the image production device finisherwhile the stacker device is being removed. The sloped top surface of thelarge format stacking tray may allow the media sheets to conform whilebeing stacked. The purpose of the sloped or undulating surface profileis to essentially shorten the overall lengthwise profile of the mediaand allow it to fit into a smaller area for stacking.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of an image production device 100 inaccordance with one possible embodiment of the disclosure. The imageproduction device 100 may be any device that may be capable of makingimage production documents (e.g., printed documents, copies, etc.)through a xerographic process, including a copier, a printer, afacsimile device, and a multi-function device (MFD), for example.

The image production device 100 may include two media feeder modules 105arranged in series, an image production module 115 adjacent the mediafeeding modules 105, an inverter module 145 adjacent the imageproduction module 115, a media transport section, 130, and two finishingmodules 155 arranged in series adjacent the inverter module 145. In theimage production device 100, the media feeder modules 105 feed media tothe image production module 115.

In the image production module 115, toner is transferred from a seriesof developer stations 125 to a charged photoreceptor belt 120 to formtoner images on the photoreceptor belt 120 and produce toner images. Thetoner images are transferred to respective media 110 fed through thepaper path. The media sheets may be advanced through a fuser 135including a fuser roll 140 and pressure roll 150, which form a nip whereheat and pressure are applied to the media to fuse toner images onto themedia.

The inverter module 145 may manipulate media exiting the imageproduction module 115 by either passing the media through to thefinishing modules 155, or inverting and returning the media to the imageproduction module 115. In the finishing modules 155, the printed mediasheets may be loaded onto stacker devices 160, such as stacker trays,carts, etc. to form media stacks 165.

The finishing module 155 may include finishing hardware for stacking,folding, stapling, binding, etc., prints which are output from the imageproduction module 115. The image production device 100 may also includea local user interface (not shown) for controlling its operations,although another source of image data and instructions may include anynumber of computers to which the printer is connected via a network.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram of a large format stacking tray assembly200 in accordance with one possible embodiment of the disclosure. Thelarge format stacking tray assembly 200 may be made of metal (such asaluminum, steel, etc.), plastic, composite material, etc.

The large format stacking tray assembly 200 may include a large formatstacking tray 210 that may be attached to a stacker device 160. Thelarge format stacking tray 210 may be attached to the stacker device 160using any attachment devices known to one of skill in the art, such as ascrew, bolt, snap-in tab, snap, rivet, button, etc. The attachmentdevice 250 is shown as an example. The large format stacking tray 210may be attachably-detachable from the stacker device 160, for example,to provide flexibility for device use. Alternatively, the large formatstacking tray 210 may be attached in a manner that would require one ormore tools to be used to attach and detach the tray 210 from the stackerdevice 160.

The large format stacking tray 210 may include a tray body 270, and atray top surface 260. The tray top surface 260 may include a first end220, a second end 230, and a valley 240. The tray top surface 260 may becurved or sloped in a manner such that its measured surface length maybe the approximate length of the desired media sheet length, while themeasured length of the tray body 270 may be such that it is smaller thanthe desired media sheet length so that it and the stacker device 160 onwhich it is attached will fit inside the finishing module 155 of theimage production device 100. For example, the length of the tray bodymay be approximately 20.5 inches, but the measured length of the slopedtray top surface 260 may be approximately 22.5 inches.

In this manner, the first end 220 may be a registration end that permitsthe media sheet to be lined up in a uniform fashion for proper stacking.The first end 220 may be relatively flat or sloped downward slightlytoward the edge of the tray body 270. The tray top surface 260 may slopedown to a valley 240 and then back up to the second end 230. The firstor second ends 220, 230 may be higher, lower, or at the same height, andthe valley 240 may be at any depth as long as the tray top surface 260length is approximately the length of the desired media sheet length andcan accommodate the desire media sheets in a manner consistent with thedisclosed embodiments. However, while the FIGS. 2-4 show the tray topsurface 260 being sloped concave or downward toward a valley 240, thetray top surface 260 may be shaped in a convex or upward manner thatwould allow longer media sheets to be used and stacked. Thus, the traytop surface may be sloped downward toward the stacker device 160, upwardaway from the stacker device 160, or may be sloped in a “sine wave”manner such than the tray may sloped downward (or concave) in oneportion and upward (or convex) in another portion.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram 300 of the large format stacking tray 210located inside the image production device 100 in accordance with onepossible embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, a stacker device 160 ispositioned to fit inside the finishing module 155 with the large formatstacking tray 210 attached thereto. The media stack 165 is stacked uponthe large format stacking tray 210 and conforms to the sloped shape ofthe tray 210 to the tray top surface 260 (shown on FIG. 1). As shown,the length of the media sheets in the media stack 165 as positioned onthe tray top surface 260 are longer than length of the body 270 of thelarge format stacking tray 210. Thus, the sloped configuration of thelarge format stacking tray 210 allows larger media sheets to beprocessed by the image production device 100 and received on the stackerdevice 160 in the finishing module 155.

FIG. 4 is exemplary diagram 400 of the large format stacking tray 210holding a media stack 165 in accordance with one possible embodiment ofthe disclosure. The large format stacking tray 210 is shown attached tothe stacker device 160 outside of the image production device 100.

It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and otherfeatures and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirablycombined into many other different systems or applications. Also thatvarious presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives,modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequentlymade by those skilled in the art which are also intended to beencompassed by the following claims.

1. A large format stacking tray for an image production device,comprising: a tray body of a first length that is attachable to astacker device in a finishing module of the image production device; anda tray top surface located on top of the tray body on which a mediastack containing one or more media sheets rests upon after being outputby the image production device, the tray top surface having a first endand a second end opposite the first end; wherein the tray top surface issloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permitsmedia sheets that are longer than the first length to be output andstacked onto the stacker device.
 2. The large format stacking tray ofclaim 1, wherein the tray top surface is sloped one of downward towardthe stacker device, upward away from the stacker device, and acombination of downward toward the stacker device and upward away fromthe stacker device.
 3. The large format stacking tray of claim 1,wherein the tray body is 20.5 inches long and the media sheet on themedia stack are 22.5 inches long.
 4. The large format stacking tray ofclaim 1, wherein the tray body is attachable and detachable from thestacker device.
 5. The large format stacking tray of claim 1, whereinthe tray body is attached to the stacker device using at least one of ascrew, bolt, snap-in tab, snap, rivet, and button.
 6. The large formatstacking tray of claim 1, wherein the tray is made of one of metal,plastic, and composite material.
 7. The large format stacking tray ofclaim 1, wherein the image production device is one of a copier, aprinter, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.
 8. An imageproduction device, comprising: a stacker device located in a finishingmodule of the image production device that receives media sheets thatform a media stack; and a large format stacking tray that is attachableto the stacker device, comprising: a tray body of a first length; and atray top surface located on top of the tray body on which a media stackcontaining one or more media sheets rests upon after being output by theimage production device, the tray top surface having a first end and asecond end opposite the first end; wherein the tray top surface issloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permitsmedia sheets that are longer than the first length to be output andstacked onto the stacker device.
 9. The image production device of claim8, wherein the tray top surface is sloped one of downward toward thestacker device, upward away from the stacker device, and a combinationof downward toward the stacker device and upward away from the stackerdevice.
 10. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the traybody is 20.5 inches long and the media sheet on the media stack are 22.5inches long.
 11. The image production device of claim 8, wherein thetray body is attachable and detachable from the stacker device.
 12. Theimage production device of claim 8, wherein the tray body is attached tothe stacker device using at least one of a screw, bolt, snap-in tab,snap, rivet, and button.
 13. The image production device of claim 8,wherein the tray is made of one of metal, plastic, and compositematerial.
 14. The image production device of claim 8, wherein the imageproduction device is one of a copier, a printer, a facsimile device, anda multi-function device.
 15. A finishing module in an image productiondevice, comprising: a stacker device located in the finishing module ofthe image production device that receives media sheets that form a mediastack; and a large format stacking tray that is attachable to thestacker device, comprising: a tray body of a first length; and a traytop surface located on top of the tray body on which a media stackcontaining one or more media sheets rests upon after being output by theimage production device, the tray top surface having a first end and asecond end opposite the first end; wherein the tray top surface issloped between the first end and the second end in a manner that permitsmedia sheets that are longer than the first length to be output andstacked onto the stacker device.
 16. The finishing module of claim 15,wherein the tray top surface is sloped one of downward toward thestacker device, upward away from the stacker device, and a combinationof downward toward the stacker device and upward away from the stackerdevice.
 17. The finishing module of claim 15, wherein the tray body is20.5 inches long and the media sheet on the media stack are 22.5 incheslong.
 18. The finishing module of claim 15, wherein the tray body isattachable and detachable from the stacker device.
 19. The finishingmodule of claim 15, wherein the tray body is attached to the stackerdevice using at least one of a screw, bolt, snap-in tab, snap, rivet,and button.
 20. The finishing module of claim 15, wherein the tray ismade of one of metal, plastic, and composite material.
 21. The finishingmodule of claim 15, wherein the image production device is one of acopier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a multi-function device.